This Lens In Action: Mini-lessons to Try Tomorrow!

• Finish The Comic #3 – by Jarrett Lerner! Use this activity to help Digital Detectives ask for help/develop questions about managing their feelings when something in the community experience evokes extreme emotional responses.

1. Use the first three frames of this comic to have Digital Detectives imagine a scenario in which community reaction to a post affects how they feel about the information or even about themselves.
2. Option A: Use the remaining frames to have them to imagine a conversation about how the social response to the content affects both characters’ urge to trust and share it. A potential extension might include a discussion in which learners debate which character makes the best choice and why.
3. Option B:  Have Digital Detectives imagine that both characters have created the content that has inspired different social responses. (One character’s content gets a large/positive response while the other gets minimal reaction). Then use the remaining frames to have them imagine how the different responses makes each character feel about themselves as content creators and/or people. A potential extension might include a discussion in which Digital Detectives imagine future choices by each character based on the feelings evoked by community reaction to their content.

• Fill In The Blanks – Community Reading Experience TAKE 1: This tool can be used to help Digital Detectives think metacognitively about the what elements of the community reading experience are most triggering for them (given the right information).

1. For this activity, you can select a topic for Digital Detectives to work with, or you can have them select their own – based on what they know about what types of information can evoke strong emotional responses in them.
2. Then have learners consider each element of the community reading experience and have them fill in the blanks with content that could potentially affect their urge to trust or share that information with fully vetting it.
3. To extend the learning, have your Digital Detectives reflect on ways to use other apps on their device to “press pause” and recalibrate emotionally, before exploring the information further.

• Note: the INFOGRAPHIC “What’s Not To Like” (above) may be a helpful tool in reminding Digital Detectives of the components of the Community Reading Experience.

• Compare and Contrast: Mobile VS Traditional – This activity can help Digital Detectives outline the steps for locating clues to credibility on different devices, while also thinking deeply about how/why information looks different depending on the device through which it is accessed.

1. Specific instructions for this activity can be found page one.
2. The second page can be printed for student use.

Mobile VS Traditional: Can You Spot The Difference?*

[TEMPLATE] Can You Spot The Difference?

• PDF (for printing)
• PNG (for digital use)

*Inspired by #DigitalDetectiveSquad member @pattylois

Use the Can You Spot The Difference Template (above) to help learners think about how the same story (from the same source!) may look different on a mobile device than it does on a traditional desktop or laptop computer. 

1. In the corresponding space(s) provided on the template, add a screenshot of the same news story or post (one as seen in the browser on a desktop of laptop; one as seen in an app, on a mobile device). Then…
2. Instruct learners to follow the directions on the template to identify the differences between each version. Then…
3. Once all differences have been identified, instruct learners to develop a hypothesis about why those differences exist. 
4. Discuss their findings as a class (or in small groups). 

To use digitally, upload image file to Google Slide deck. Set that image as the slide background. Then follow the directions above, having learners use tool options within Google Slides to complete tasks. 

Potential extension:

1. Have learners locate and add screenshots to the template for their classmates to review. Then… 
2. Follow directions in steps 2-4 as written.

[GOOGLE JAMBOARD] What makes you most likely to trust and share? –  Community Reading Experience Edition

• Note: this link will force you to make a copy of the Jamboard. Once you’ve created your own copy, you’ll be able to make edits to customize this activity for your own Digital Detectives.

This activity was designed to be used with a teacher designated research topic. However, it could be adapted to have learners choose their own topics. The ultimate goal of this activity is for students to use each of the provided Jamboards to create a list of ways the Community Reading Experience might infuence their urge to trust, share or engage with content  (related to this topic) without fully investigating it first. Directions for students are included in the Jamboard – linked above.

1. 1. After providing students with a research topic, have them individually brainstorm a list of ways the Community Reading Experience might trigger the emotion on each Jamboard in a way that would make them more likely to trust and share content without fully investigating it. NOTE: These emotions can be changed by the teacher.
   2. Next, have students work in pairs to:
      1. 1. share/explain their lists with one another.
         2. Work together to combine and refine their work into a single list.
         3. Share their list on the Jamboard.
   3. In a whole group debrief, have students reflect on:
      1. 1. The common threads seen throughout their classmates’ work.
         2. Why the Community Reading Experience is important to content creators.
         3. How the appearance of the factors they’ve identified through this activity might serve as red flags/a signal for students to press pause before engaging with content.